Stepping into the (mercifully cool) Octagon at Gluttony was an exciting event for Reviewer Jr, my six-year-old daughter, and she was absolutely stoked to witness various circus performances in this great venue.
The crowd was lively and excited, and the atmosphere in the room was great. Fringe For Kids is a basic variety show – each day, there are different acts, so one can only really judge it on the day you saw it. The day we saw it was good but could have been better.
The host was Minnie Andrews, whom Reviewer Jr immediately recognised. She was described as a mix of “Powerpuff Girls and My Little Pony,” she did quite well. The kids seemed to turn off a little when she sang some jazz standards throughout the show – Reviewer Jr wanted to leave for a breath of air when she sang her second song; however, as we took the air, she said she was suitably charmed by Minnie.
Following Millie was some outstanding aerial work by Nicole Walker, which was absolutely mind-blowing to Scoop Jr; she was deemed “ABSOLUTELY AMAZING”, and this accolade was well deserved. I’d venture she was the highlight of the afternoon.
The magician, Jordan Brooks, was poorly pitched for a kids’ performance; he suffered from some tech issues, and his second trick failed to connect with the audience. Reviewer Jr didn’t really get what the point of his tricks was supposed to be. Another circus performer did some great balance work, which was a little less well-received, it seemed, and a major highlight was the fantastic hoop work by Hannah Indigo. Indeed, the crowd favourite, Reviewer Jr, was ready to don twelve hoops immediately to replicate the feat.
The show culminated with a dance party presented by Life Long and Sparkle, where all the performers and the audience went crazy doing Nutbush on the stage – certainly the best moment for Reviewer Jr and a great way to end a decent afternoon of entertainment.
For bang for your buck and something that will appeal to kids aged 3 – 13, Fringe for Kids is a good bet. I found it a bit hit or miss, but some of the highlights definitely made up for the lowlights. Reviewer Jr said, “It was amazing, especially the hoops and the circus ladies. Four out of five.”
This review also appears on It’s On The House, and check out more reviews at Dark Stories Theatre to see what else is on in your town.
